Motion picture advertising machine



Sept. 20, 1938. J. Z 2,130,428

' MOTION PICTURE ADVERTISING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1957 INVENTOR lfatz BY 2 5 E 5ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a motion picture advertising machine.

The invention has for an object the construc- 5 tion of a machine as mentioned which is characterized by the fact that it includes a rotatively mounted shaft, a plurality of picture cards adapted to be seen in succession, and a novel means for removably securing said cards upon said shaft. This construction permits a change of the pictures and thus a change of the moving picture.

Still further the invention proposes a novel construction of the housing for the device characterized by windows at the sides to permit the entrance of light, and openings at the front through which one may view the moving pictures.

Another object of the invention resides in an arrangement whereby the shaft may be rotated in one direction or the other, and cooperative means engageable with the cards to make it possible to run the pictures forwards or backwards so that the moving picture may be run in reverse if desired. 25 For further comprehension of the invention,

and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation partly in section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

The motion picture advertising machine, according to this invention, comprises a housing III with a window opening II. A shaft I2 is rotatively mounted through said housing. A plurality of picture cards I3 are adapted to be seen in succession through the window opening II. Holding means are mounted upon the periphery of the shaft I2 and are cooperative for holding the cards I3 in a series radially about the shaft. A means is provided for rotating the shaft I3 and includes an electric motor I4. A means is also provided for momentarily engaging the outer edges of the cards during the rotation of the shaft for holding the cards in succession so that one is visible at a time through the window opening. This means includes a finger element I5.

The housing III is substantially of hollow cylindrical form except for the fact that at one side it has a corner portion as clearly shown in Fig. 1. At the sides of this corner portion there are windows I6 through which light may enter to light the interior of the housing so that when one looks through the front windows II it is possible to clearly see the picture cards I3 therein. The housing I has a removable end wall I0 which is normally fixedly held in position by several clamp screws II. This removable end Ill serves as a bearing for one end of the shaft I2 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. It also serves as a cover for closing the end of the means which holds the picture cards I3.

The shaft I2 is connected with the drive shaft I8 of a speed regulating device I9. This speed regulating device is mounted on the motor I4 and is connected therewith to transmit rotations. The motor I 4 is mounted on a pedestal 20, in turn attached to a projecting portion IIl at the base of the housing I0.

The means for holding the picture cards I3 on the shaft I2 includes a plurality of longitudinally extending dove-tailed grooves 22 formed upon the surface of the shaft I2 and extending fom end to end. In each groove 22 a pair of c00pe1' ative plates 23 and 24 are adapted to engage. These plates have opposed bulged portions 25 near their bases, and outwardly flanged ends 26 adapted to frictionally engage the base portion of the groove 22 to maintain the position of the plates. Each card I3 is formed with a beaded inner end I3 adapted to engage within the compass of the outwardly bulged portions 25 to maintain the p0- sition of the card. The arrangement is such that when the cover Ill is removed it is possible to laterally pull out the cards I 3 and re-engage either the same cards or different cards in their stead. The cards I3 preferably are printed with pictures on both sides so that first one side may be used to show one moving picture, and then the cards may be reversed to show the moving picture on the other side.

The means for engaging the outer edges of the cards includes the finger I which is flexible. This finger engages the edges of the cards and flexes the cards in a manner so that the held cards are substantially horizontal (see Fig. 4) and when each card is released it stands up to the vertical position. Looking through the window opening one sees the cards in the vertical positions only. As the shaft I2 turns a difierent card will assume the vertical position in succession and this gives the impression of moving pictures.

An arrangement is provided which permits the moving pictures to be run backwards. This arrangement is as follows: The resilient finger I is mounted on a bell crank Zl which is pivotally supported by a pintle 28 intermediate of its arms on a bracket 29 mounted within the housing 10. This bell crank 2'! has its other arm provided with a finger I5 A resilient leaf spring 36 tends to urge the finger lfi downwards to engage the edges of the cards. The spring 30 is restrained by the fact that the bell crank 21 is held. There is a screw 3i which threadedly engages through the wall of the housing Ill. The outer end of the screw has a head by which it may be turned. The near end engages the end of the bell crank 2'5 immediately adjacent the resilient finger IS. A flange 32 is fixedly mounted on the screw 3| to limit its retracted position.

When the screw 3i is retracted the bell crank 52? will pivot so that the finger i5 is moved to an inoperative position and no longer engages the edges of the cards. Simultaneously, the finger IE will be moved into its operative position engaging the cards. The fingers l5 and Mi are spaced substantially 90 from each other and work in opposite directions. It is now possible to rotate the shaft in the reverse direction and the moving pictures will be seen to run backwards.

The electric motor i4 is controlled by a reversing switch M by which it may be run in one direction or the other to cause the shaft l2 to turn in one direction or the other.

1 While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be und rstood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A motion picture advertising machine comprising a housing with a window opening, a shaft rotatively mounted through said housing, a plurality of picture cards adapted to be seen in succession through said window opening, holding means mounted on the periphery of said shaft for holding said cards in a series radially about the shaft, means for rotating said shaft, and means for momentarily engaging the outer edges of said cards during the rotation of said shaft for holding the cards in succession so that one is visible at a time through said window opening, said holding means comprising pairs of opposed plates for each card, each pair of plates having flanged bottom edges engaging the bases of dovetailed grooves formed in the surface of said shaft.

2. A motion picture advertising machine coinprising a housing with a window opening, a shaft rotatively mounted through said housing, a plurality of picture cards adapted to be seen in succession through said Window opening, holding means mounted on the periphery of said shaft for holding said cards in a series radially about the shaft, means for rotating said shaft, and means for momentarily engaging the outer edges of said cards during the rotation of said shaft for holding the cards in succession so that one is visible at a time through said window opening, said holding means comprising pairs of opposed plates for each card, each pair of plates having flanged bottom edges engaging the bases of dovetailed grooves formed in the surface of said shaft, each card having its inner end provided with a bead engageable within an opening formed by opposed bulged out areas of said plates.

3. A motion picture advertising machine comprising a housing with a window opening, a shaft rotatively mounted through said housing, a plurality of picture cards adapted to be seen in succession through said window opening, holding means mounted on the periphery of said shaft for holding said cards in a series radially about the shaft, means for rotating said shaft, and means for momentarily engaging the outer edges of said cards during the rotation of said shaft for holding the cards in succession so that one is visible at a time through said window opening, said holding means comprising pairs of opposed plates for each card, each pair of plates having flanged bottom edges engaging the bases of dovetailed grooves formed in the surface of said shaft, each card having its inner end provided with a bead engageable within an opening formed by opposed bulged out areas of said plates, said housing having a removable end, and said cards being adapted to be slipped out from between said plates through the open end of said casing.

4. A motion picture advertising machine comprising a housing with a window opening, a shaft rotatively mounted through said housing, a plurality of picture cards adapted to be seen in succession through said window opening, holding means mounted on the periphery of said shaft for holding said cards in a series radially about the shaft, means for rotating said shaft, and means for momentarily engaging the outer edges of said cards during the rotation of said shaft for holding the cards in succession so that one is visible at a time through said window opening, said latter means comprising a resilient finger, mounted on a bell crank pivotally supported intermediate of its ends, another resilient finger mounted on the other arm of the bell crank 90 from said finger, and means for holding the bell crank in pivoted positions so that one finger or the other finger engages the edges of the cards.

5. A motion picture advertising machine comprising a housing with a window opening, a shaft rotatively mounted through said housing, a plurality of picture cards adapted to be seen in succession through said window opening, holding means mounted on the periphery of said shaft for holding said cards in a series radially about the shaft, means for rotating said shaft, and means for momentarily engaging the outer edges of said cards during the rotation of said shaft for holding the cards in succession so that one is visible at a time through said window opening, said latter means comprising a resilient finger, mounted on a bell crank pivotally supported intermediate of its ends, another resilient finger mounted on the other arm of the bell crank 90 from said finger, and means for holding the bell crank in pivoted positions so that one finger or the other finger engages the edges of the cards, and a means for changing the rotation of said shaft.

JACK KATZU 

